TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY

Their core work

Princeton University is a world-leading US research university that participates in EU Horizon 2020 exclusively as a third-party host for Marie Skłodowska-Curie (MSCA) fellows and research networks. It provides visiting researchers access to its laboratories, faculty expertise, and interdisciplinary environment across an exceptionally wide range of fields — from climate economics and theoretical physics to neuroscience and cultural heritage. Princeton does not seek EU funding directly but serves as a prestigious international secondment destination that strengthens European research projects through transatlantic collaboration.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Princeton's early H2020 involvement (2015–2018) centered on climate economics, energy policy, trade and diaspora studies, and fundamental physics — reflecting traditional strengths in economics and the physical sciences. From 2019 onward, the portfolio diversified sharply into neuroscience, cultural heritage, Islamic studies, sustainability of social-ecological systems, and advanced chemistry, suggesting broader departmental engagement with MSCA mobility programs. The shift indicates Princeton increasingly serves as a multi-disciplinary host institution rather than concentrating on a few flagship themes.

Princeton is broadening its role as a transatlantic secondment hub, with growing activity in sustainability science, cultural heritage, and advanced catalysis alongside its established strengths in economics and physics.

How they like to work

Princeton participates exclusively as a third party — it never coordinates and never appears as a direct consortium partner in H2020. This means European institutions include Princeton as a secondment or visiting destination for their MSCA fellows, not as a grant-holding partner. Despite this passive role, Princeton has connected with 181 unique partners across 42 countries, making it one of the most broadly networked third-party hosts in the programme. Working with Princeton means sending your researchers to one of the world's top universities, but don't expect them to take administrative or coordination responsibilities in your project.

With 181 unique consortium partners across 42 countries, Princeton has one of the widest third-party networks in H2020, reflecting its appeal as a secondment destination for MSCA fellows from virtually every European country and beyond.

What sets them apart

As a US-based Ivy League institution, Princeton offers something few H2020 partners can: a transatlantic bridge to America's top research infrastructure, faculty, and academic networks. Its value lies not in EU project management or funding contributions, but in providing MSCA fellows with access to world-class laboratories and a cross-disciplinary intellectual environment. For consortium builders, including Princeton signals international prestige and opens doors to US research ecosystems that are otherwise hard to access through EU programmes.

Highlights from their portfolio

• GEMCLIME
  Long-running MSCA-RISE network (2016–2022) on climate and energy economics — Princeton's most sustained H2020 engagement, continued via the successor project GEOCEP.
• ActiveMatter
  Major MSCA-RISE network (2019–2024) on active matter physics, connecting Princeton's strengths in far-from-equilibrium physics with a broad European consortium.
• NeuroTick
  Unusual and memorable MSCA fellowship studying the neuroscience of tickling — illustrates the breadth and interdisciplinary reach of Princeton's research hosting.